The ASA have made a landmark judgement that car makers cannot claim just the official MPG figure and must explain that the test is completed under test conditions and real world figures will not be the same.

The ruling has been against VW group Audi, from MSN Cars

The judgement in question concerns a claim made on www.audi.co.uk under the heading ‘Audi A3 TDI – the most fuel efficient Audi ever’, which stated:

‘The A3 1.6 TDI is the most fuel efficient Audi ever returning a quite remarkable 68.9mpg on a combined cycle.’

The ruling follows a complaint by a member of the public who purchased the car, arguing it was both misleading and unsubstantiated after they failed to match the quoted 68.9mpg figure.

Despite protestations from Volkswagen Group UK Ltd (Audi UK’s parent company) that 68.9mpg was accurate in terms of the official EU testing procedures – which the ASA acknowledged – the claim was still ruled misleading because:

‘It was unlikely to be clear to the average consumer that the figure quoted was based on a standardised test and was not necessarily representative of what they would achieve when driving the car themselves.

‘For that reason we consider that VW should have qualified the figure to make it clear to readers that it was based on an EU test for comparative purposes and may not reflect real world driving results.’

Lets hope the rest of the world follows this

& the result, is...... Adverts & publications will have to say what the published misleading figures are all about. so not exactly changing much.

http://www.glassguid...?Newsletter=167

george

I am 100% in agreement with this

All manafactures should state 'driven under test conditions on a rolling road driven by a man with a beard'

Just so consumers know what they're up against

‘For that reason we consider that VW should have qualified the figure to make it clear to readers that it was based on an EU test for comparative purposes and may not reflect real world driving results.’

I thought that was obvious...

People like that "protester" need large "HOT DRINK" on their take away Costa coffees (preferably with blinking leds in it) and each step at home with contrasting black/yellow chevron nosing anti slip tape applied or otherwise they will scald themsleves and fall down the steps, perhaps at the same time

It is frightening how much of a nanny state we are made to live in these days and how much people are taught not to think for themselves but gobble up what they are told. Start asking question and you are ostracised and branded as a trouble maker...

& the result, is...... Adverts & publications will have to say what the published misleading figures are all about. so not exactly changing much.

http://www.glassguid...?Newsletter=167

george

In this article the author states the figures to be meaningless. I dare to disagree. They are very meaningfull as all tests are conducted in the same conditions according to one set of test procedures for all of the world and serve as a direct comparison of fuel usage between completely diffrent cars employing sometimes extremely different technologies. Otherwise it would be impossible to compare MPG for different cars as different users drive differently and completely different environments. That would be completely pointless . ASA ruling for me is a clear reflection on a sorry state of the society where majority is considered to be idionts who have to have the basics explained to them in capital letters or they will sue!

To be fair though, the average driver has little interest in knowing the details that are well known to people who frequent forums such as this and have a genuine interest in driving. With the cost of fuel so high, publishing a banner that quotes outstanding MPG is going to grab the attention of your typical disinterested driver. Why would they not believe it?

So what they are saying is that every person should have their own set of mpg figures based on how they drive and where they go...making it totally pointless...

.can remember years ago microwave makers in the States had to put labels on them saying do not dry your dog in here ....as someone did and then sued the company when it got cooked

^

My point exactly!

Average not interested or knowledgeable... I do not think so since they are interested in MPG of their cars, aren't they? If they are it is basic common sense to at least try and understand what is that MPG and how it is being measured/arrived at - or perhaps it is me who is living in the coockoo land... *where did I put my pills-voices are getting louder!*

FFS ASA!

No doubt rear view mirrors will soon be plastered with stickers "Objects in the mirror may be closer than they appear", speedometers will have a sticker "Just 'cos the speedo goes to 160mph doesn't mean it will go that fast, nor should you attempt to do so where speed limits indicate otherwise". and "Just 'cos the odometer goes up to 999,999 miles doesn't mean it will last that long",

And - "This trip computer is only an indication. For accurate mpg figures use the brim-to -brim method over at least 1000 miles and take into account variation in rolling circumference of the wheels as the tyres wear"

Dear The ASA

Unlike the dosey Audi (!) owner, I have a brain. I do not need my ar5e wiping, thank you very much

I take it those people don't use portable phones otherwise I wonder how they could have dealt with the incredible fact their batteries don't last as long as quoted on the user manual/spec sheet...

Such nonsense...

Edited 23 April, 201313 yr by newbie69

I think its fair enough to be honest. They are miss-leading. Not everyone are car enthusiasts. Many people go to buy a car if they are told "This car can get 50mpg" they expect to be able to get very similar numbers. The problem is that it massively varies from car to car i.e. one manufacturer might be within 5mpg of it while another not with 15mpg of it. It doesn't help that the test is so far off real world tests that its not a reliable comparison point. If they made the test more real world then it would be much less of an issue.

Its similar to when CRTs were sold and they were sold on the tube diagonal and not the screen diagonal. It was plain and simple mis-advertising.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_European_Driving_Cycle

Excellent explanation and criticism of the cycle.

And this is where the tests are done in UK

http://www.mira.co.uk/

If I'm thinking of buying a car one of the first things I look at is the Autocar road test.

They give a touring figure and an overall figure for mpg.

They drive the cars hard so the overall figure will be worse than most owners will get and the other will be at least what the private owner will get on a run.It gives me the info I want.

There are some naive people about...why would you believe automatically anything the manufacturers put out?

There are some naive people about...why would you believe automatically anything the manufacturers put out?

Absolutely. I blame the ASA! People believe advertisements simply because of their existence. These are not the people who grew up through the early days of ITV and other advertising that told us "Smoking Craven A cigarettes was good for the throat" or that "Consulate were as cool as a mountain stream". Our mums knew that Milky Way most certainly was NOT the sweet we could eat between meals without ruining our appetite and furthermore, she didn't stuff her face with Maltesers at every opportunity safe in the knowledge that they wouldn't make her fat.

Now while on the subject:

I use Lynx spray deodorant and I want to know why I am not swarmed with hoards of beautifull women lusting after my body!

Dear The ASA...